Modular header systems

ABSTRACT

A header system of modular design capable of delivering a flow of fluid through each of a plurality of geometrically equidistant paths and of equivalent hydraulic lengths from a supply to a return point, said paths or circuits forming a multicircuit system for use in artificial ice-skating rinks and other heat exchange systems. Also the arrangement provides for self-venting of air or gases from the supply end generally upward until such gases are removed from the system.

United States Patent inventors Clay D. Smith P. 0. Box 35, Latayette, N.Y. 13084; Guy ll. Mishoe, 103 Wooded Heights Drive, Camillus, N.Y. 13031 Appl. No. 29,578 Filed Apr. 17, 1970 Patented Aug. 17, 1971 MODULAR HEADER SYSTEMS 9 Claims, 10 Drawing Figs. 1

US. Cl. 165/ 176, 62/235, 165/45, 165/174 Int. Cl. F28d 7/06, A63c 19/10 Field of Smrch 165/45, 176; 60/235 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,270,745 1/1942 Todd 62/235 Primary Examiner-John J. Camby Artomeys- Keith Misegades and George R. Douglas, Jr.

ABSTRACT: A header system of modular design capable of delivering a flow of fluid through each of a plurality of geometrically equidistant paths and of equivalent hydraulic lengths from a supply to a return point, said paths or circuits forming a multicircuit system for use in artificial ice-skating rinks and other heat exchange systems. Also the arrangement provides for self-venting of air or gases from the supply end generally upward until such gases are removed from the system.

PATENTEU AUB24 I97:

SHEET 1 OF 2 INVENTORS' CLAY D. SMITH GUY H. MISHOE mjwdw ATTORNEYS PATENTED 11111241911 SHEET 2 UF 2 SKATE SURFACE SIZ 36 (10 360 I20 32 32 llllllllllllllllllllll41llllll lllllllll 32 22 llllli lll llllllllllllllll FIGS INVENTORS CLAY D. SMITH GUY H. MISHOE TTORNIL YS MODULAR HEADER SYSTEMS The present invention relates to an improved flow circuit arrangement for a coolant or refrigerant, in which the assembled units of the modular header of the present invention provide multicircuit paths of essentially equalized pressure and length therein, and more particularly the invention is directed to a modular header system comprising self-contained units that are balanced in its arrangement, compact in its construction and permit connection to circuits extending under the heat exchange area without a need for changing the plane of flow. For example, there may be 100 or more hydraulic circuits connected to the modular header systems and arranged to the supply and return headers of the modular header, withoutthe normal requirements for elbows and fittings so that the return line avoids interfering with the supply line. For smaller installations, there may be as few as two or three hydraulic circuits.

Self-venting of gas or air bubbles in the supply portion 7 passes to the supply chamber, then to the rink grid, then to the return portion of the header, and then to the return pipe which carries the gases outward through a flanged pipe.

An object, therefore, of the present invention is to provide for use in artificial ice-skating rinks and other heat exchange systems, means for providing the delivery of an equal amount and flow of fluid to each circuit of a heat exchange area, comprisinga multicircuit system from a uniquely constructed modular header system for feeding in two directions and in one place at the same time. I

, A further object of the invention is to form various sized or lengths of header and rinkgrids lending flexibility to the constructed size of the rink being constructed; this is due to using various numbers of intermediate (see FIG. 7) modular units to form the length of the header.

Another object of the invention is to provide connecting or coupling arrangements to a modular header that eliminates the need to offset the piping necessary for coupling thereto. I A further object of the invention is to provide a multicircuit system in a modular header constructed to eliminate the need for a second header at the opposite end of the circuit system within the preferred embodiments of the invention.

An additional object of the invention is to ensure self-venting of gases or air bubbles from the heat self-venting exchange system.

Another object of the invention provides that it may be constructed without a header trench due to the compactness derived from the preferred embodiment disclosed in a modular header system.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a modu-' lar header system than can be fabricated in modules and which is capable of being shipped in any given lengths.

Further objects and advantages of the invention are related to the modular header system being compact, factory fabricated, pressure tested before delivery, and comprising a device that may be welded, extruded, bolted or riveted to form the component parts, and for embedding the formed modular header in poured or wet concrete, gravel, sand, formed asphalt, and the like.

The above and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon full consideration of the following detailed description and accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an overall plan view of a heat exchange system having a modular header of the present invention, shown in its preferred embodiment;

FIG, 2 is'an enlarged plan view of theheader but with inter mediate portions thereof broken away, and in which particularly is shown the end members and the central modular member;

FIG. 3 is a section taken along lines 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged and fragmentary cross-sectional view of a portion of an end member;

FIG. 5 shows a side view of a portion of the central modular member shown embedded in cement, sand, gravel, or the like, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 6 shows a schematic plan arrangement in reduced scale of a central modular member;

FIG. 7 shows a schematic plan arrangement in reduced scale like FIG. 6 of one of a number of intermediate modular members;

FIG. 8 shows a schematic plan arrangement like FIGS. 6

' and 7 of an end modular member;

FIG. 9 shows a schematic plan arrangement of a further embodiment of the invention in which the modular header is end fed for supply and return of a fluid; and

FIG.'10 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a further embodiment of the invention taken transversely of a centerfed rink grid, having a common reverse return space with an end-fed modular header supply returnarrangement, and in which the rink grid may extend outwardly as shown by the arrows.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown a modular header system according to the preferred embodiment of the invention, having an elongated header 10 provided with a supply chamber 12, having a given cross-sectional area throughout the length of the header, and a return chamber 14 of a larger given cross section than that of the supply chamber. A supplypipe l6 feeds coolant from a pump to the supply chamber 12. The supply pipe may be disposed below the header and the pump (not shown) for forcing the coolant through the supply pipe 16 upward through the connecting supply pipe 20, into the supply chamber so that'self-venting of gases and air bubbles is achieved. The vertical connection between the supply pipe 16 and the supply chamber 12 may be of flaired construction, as is shown.

From the supply chamber, coolant is dispensed through'a plurality of 52-inch pipes (see FIG. 1) or the like, disposed in a common plane to each other along a longitudinal edge of the supply chamber remote from the supply pipe, the plurality of 54-inch pipes being shown in the drawing as pipe nipples or pipes 22. The pipes 22 extend throughout the length of the ice, rink 26, and they form a U-turn 28 at the distal ends thereof, and return in one of a series of coplanarly arranged return pipes 32, extending through the supply chamber 12, as shown in FIG. 2, 3, 6-9, to terminate in a partition wall 34 of the return chamber 14.

The return chamber I4 is provided with a median wall or partition 38 centrally disposed throughout its length, but does not engage the ends of the return chamber, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4. This provides means by which the coolant is received in the return chamber 14 from pipes 32 to accumulate the coolant therein in space 36 of the median partition 38, and

passes or flows to the near end of the partition 38, so that it is then conducted from the return chamber into a return pipe 44.

Baffles of flow distribution aiding means 48 are provided to accomplish essentially nonturbulent flow.

The return pipe 44 may be of general rectangular cross section in being coupled to the return chamber 14, and then flairs into a coupling 45 that is generally a steel pipe of diameter comparable to the diameter of the supply pipe 16.

In the entrance to the return pipe 44 from the chamber space 40, there is a partition of baffle divider plate 50 for aiding equal distribution of flow from each side thereof into the return pipe 44.

Baffle plate 56 with aperture 58 cuts down the supply fluid pressure drop in the supply header; without the baffle plate 56, the supply fluid would create some turbulence caused by sections of return pipe 32 passing through supply chamber. With baffle plate 56 and apertures 58,58, there is reduced pressure drop and pump horsepower requirements.

Within the ends of the return chamber 14, there are flow distribution fins 48 as shown in FIG. 4, toassist the reversing of the return flow from return space 36 into the reverse return space 40.

By means of the system of the construction of the modular header, the supply return unit is disposed centrally as shown in FIG. 2, and the unit of FIG. 6 is such a central unit 70. FIG. 7

coupled to the mating ends of the central unit, respectively; an equal number of such units is added to each side, and the header is terminated at each end by an end unit 74, as shown in FIG. 8, or a mirror image thereof, where the end is opposite to the one shown in FIG. 8.

In FIG. 9, in lieu of a central feed modular unit 70, an end feeder unit 90 may be used in which a supply pipe 92 and a return pipe 94 are provided. At the far end are baffles 48 to return without substantial turbulence the fluid from the return chamber space 36 to the reverse return chamber space 40.

FIG. 5 shows how the header assembly system may be embedded completely in a plastic material such as cement, wet concrete, asphalt,sand, gravel, and the like, and no need exists for construction of a large header trench to encompass the header.

In FIG. is shown a transverse cross-sectional view of a modified header unit having a supply chamber S 12 and 120; a return chamber R 36 and 36a; and a reverse return or reverse flow return chamber RR 40. From the supply chambers 12 and 12a, there may extend the grid-rink pipes 22 and 32 not shown, which extend in opposite directions from a central modular header unit. The arrangement in FIG. 10 would be end fed to the supply chambers 12 and 12a, while a return feed would be taken from reverse return chamber 40, similar to pipe 94 of FIG. 10.

By practicing the invention, it is observed that the modular header system of the invention provides a plurality of U- shaped pipes coupled to modular units, and each of the paths through the plurality of U-shaped pipes is equidistant geometrically and of equivalent hydraulic lengths extending from a supply pointto a return point.

Additional embodiments of the invention is this specification will occur to others and therefore it is intended that the scope of the invention be limited only by the appended claims and not by the embodiments described hereinabove. Accordingly, reference should be made to the following claims in determining the full scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A modular header system. comprising an elongated header having a supply chamber of a given cross section extending throughout the length of the header, and a return chamber of a given cross section larger than that of the supply chamber and extending throughout the length of the header, a median partition centrally and longitudinally disposed within said return chamber, and a plurality of U-shaped pipes forming a multicircuit system extending across an area forming a heat exchange matrix planar in configuration having an in-end and an out-end, said in-ends being coupled in serial array along the length of the supply chamber, said out-ends passing through the supply chamber and being return coupled in serial array along the length of the return chamber, said series array of in-ends and out-ends connecting the respective chambers being essentially coplanar, and each of the paths through the plurality of U-shaped pipes is equidistant geometrically and of equivalent hydraulic length from supply to return.

2. The invention of claim I wherein said supply chamber is fed from a supply pipe below the chamber to a pump connection.

3. The invention of claim 1 wherein said return chamber is coupled to a return pipe to a pump connection.

4. The invention of claim 1 wherein flow distribution baffles are disposed in the return chamber to redirect the flow from one section thereof to the other, as defined by said median partition, so that essentially equally lengthened flow paths are provided through each of the U-shaped pipes from a supply pipe to the return pipe.

5. The invention of claim 1 wherein end sections of the modular header, the coupling section of the header, and intervening sections of the header are all preformed.

6. The invention according to claim 2 wherein said header system allows gas and air bubbles to move along the fluid flow path in the upward and forward direction, effecting self-vent ing of the bubbles to a return pipe coupled to said return chamber. I 1

7. The invention of claim 1 wherein said header is constructed of a central modular supply and return unit, an end modular unit terminating each end thereof, and equal lengths of intermediate modular units interposed between the central unit and the respective end units.

8. The invention of claim 7 wherein said header system is embedded in material forming a skating rink surface.

9. The invention of claim 8 wherein said material is concrete or asphalt. 

1. A modular header system comprising an elongated header having a supply chamber of a given cross section extending throughout the length of the header, and a return chamber of a given cross section larger than that of the supply chamber and extending throughout the length of the header, a median partition centrally and longitudinally disposed within said return chamber, and a plurality of U-shaped pipes forming a multicircuit system extending across an area forming a heat exchange matrix planar in configuration having an in-end and an out-end, said in-ends being coupled in serial array along the length of the supply chamber, said out-ends passing through the supply chamber and being return coupled in serial array along the length of the return chamber, said series array of in-ends and out-ends connecting the respective chambers being essentially coplanar, and eAch of the paths through the plurality of U-shaped pipes is equidistant geometrically and of equivalent hydraulic length from supply to return.
 2. The invention of claim 1 wherein said supply chamber is fed from a supply pipe below the chamber to a pump connection.
 3. The invention of claim 1 wherein said return chamber is coupled to a return pipe to a pump connection.
 4. The invention of claim 1 wherein flow distribution baffles are disposed in the return chamber to redirect the flow from one section thereof to the other, as defined by said median partition, so that essentially equally lengthened flow paths are provided through each of the U-shaped pipes from a supply pipe to the return pipe.
 5. The invention of claim 1 wherein end sections of the modular header, the coupling section of the header, and intervening sections of the header are all preformed.
 6. The invention according to claim 2 wherein said header system allows gas and air bubbles to move along the fluid flow path in the upward and forward direction, effecting self-venting of the bubbles to a return pipe coupled to said return chamber.
 7. The invention of claim 1 wherein said header is constructed of a central modular supply and return unit, an end modular unit terminating each end thereof, and equal lengths of intermediate modular units interposed between the central unit and the respective end units.
 8. The invention of claim 7 wherein said header system is embedded in material forming a skating rink surface.
 9. The invention of claim 8 wherein said material is concrete or asphalt. 